Civil Government of Virginia Part 12

17. What is revenue?

18. Define TARIFF.

19. What is the code?

20. What is a misdemeanor?

21. How long is the term of office of the judge of the Hustings Court of the City of Richmond, and what salary does he receive?

22. What are the qualifications of the judge of the Hustings Court?

23. How often are terms of this court held?

24. What are corporate limits?

25. What do you understand by prosecutions against convicts in the penitentiary?

26. What does condemnation of land mean?

27. What is an a.s.sessment?

28. What does correcting erroneous a.s.sessments mean?

29. For how long does the judge of the Chancery Court of the City of Richmond hold office, and what salary does he receive?

30. What are the qualifications of the judge of this court?

31. How often does the court meet?

32. Mention some cla.s.ses of cases in which the Chancery Court has jurisdiction.

33. What does the recordation of wills mean?

34. What are fiduciaries?

35. What does docketing of judgments mean?

36. Define JUDGMENT.

37. What is common law?

38. For how long does a judge of the Law and Equity Court of the City of Richmond hold office, and what is his salary?

39. What are the qualifications of a judge of this court?

40. How often and for how long does the Equity Court sit?

41. Tell of the jurisdiction of this court.

42. What does ex parte mean?

43. What is an ex parte settlement?

VII.

OFFICERS OF COURTS.

Clerks.

In all Justices' Courts, the justices are required to make and preserve their own dockets. The Clerk of the Court of Appeals is appointed by the court; the Clerks of the Circuit and Corporation Courts are elected by the people of the county or corporation in which the court is held. They hold office for a term of eight years. Salary, fees and special allowances.

Duties. Shall record the proceedings of their respective courts and issue writs in their name; shall be the custodians of all papers lawfully returned to or filed in the Clerk's office; shall perform such other duties as are imposed upon them by law.

The Tipstaff and Crier are the executive officers of the Court of Appeals.

For meaning of DOCKET, see under Chancery Court of the City of Richmond. DOCKETS here mean entries in a book giving lists of names of persons connected with the cases tried, and particulars of the proceedings in each case. In justices' courts such dockets are made and kept by the justice himself.

The clerks of the courts mentioned have no salaries. They are paid by fees and special allowances. For example, when a clerk of court makes out a writ or bond or a copy of any court doc.u.ment, he gets a fee for doing it. (See under Secretary of the Commonwealth, page 32.) A special allowance is an allowance (or a grant of money) made by the court for special work done.

The TIPSTAFF and CRIER are executive officers of the Court of Appeals--that is, they execute or carry out certain orders of the court. In some places a sheriff's officer is called a tipstaff, the name being derived from the custom of such officers bearing a STAFF TIPPED with metal.

Criers sometimes are appointed for other courts besides the Court of Appeals. The name is derived from the practice of proclaiming or CRYING out in court the commands or orders of the judge.

Sheriff.

The Sheriff is the executive officer of the Circuit Court, and of the Circuit and Chancery Courts of the city of Richmond; the City Sergeant is the executive officer of the Corporation Courts and Circuit Courts held for cities, and the Hustings Court for the city of Richmond; the Constable is the executive officer of the Justice's Court.

Though the sheriff is an officer of the courts, he is more particularly a county officer. His princ.i.p.al duties will, therefore, be found set forth and explained under County Officers (see page 74). The city sergeant is also a court officer, but his duties are limited to cities. They are stated and explained under Government of Cities and Towns. The duties of the constable, who is a magisterial district officer, are explained under District Organization.

Commonwealth's Attorney.

Elected by the people at the general election in November for a term of four years; must reside in the county or corporation for which he is elected; shall hold no other elective office. Salary, allowance by the Board of Supervisors and fees.

Duties. Gives legal advice to the county and district officers, and prosecutes criminals in the Circuit and Corporation Courts.

For Board of Supervisors, see page 82.

LEGAL ADVICE is advice on matters of law. The commonwealth's attorney prosecutes criminals--that is, he attends in court and makes the charge, or states the case, and examines witnesses, against persons charged with crime.

A WITNESS is a person who tells on oath, in answer to questions, what he knows about the crime charged against the accused, or about the facts in a civil case or process. (See civil process and perjury, page 21.)

Attorney-at-Law.

Must hold license granted by any three or more judges of the Supreme Court of Appeals acting together under such rules and regulations and upon such examination both as to learning and character as may be prescribed by the said Court; must be a male citizen over the age of twenty-one years; must have resided in the State six months preceding application for a license; and must qualify before the Court in which he proposes to practice.